Door latch with integral bolt and ratchet

ABSTRACT

932,083. Latches. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. May 17, 1962 [May 22, 1961], No. 19045/62. Class 44. A door latch 22 comprises a rotary bolt 50, a pivoted detent lever 56 engageable with ratchet teeth 54 to prevent rotation of the bolt in the unlatch direction, and a release lever 80 which is pivotally movable in one direction to contact the detent lever 56 and rotate it in boltfreeing direction and is pivotally movable in the other direction to engage the ratchet teeth 54 and prevent rotation of the bolt 50 in the unlatch direction. As shown, bolt 50 is a gearwheel the teeth of which act also as the ratchet teeth, and the detent and release levers are pivoted about a common fulcrum 58. The detent lever 56 is releasable from engagement with the ratchet teeth by a push-buttonoperated rod 30 and by a remote handleoperated bell-crank lever 68, movement of which in one direction about a pivot 70 causes a tab 84 on the lever 80 to free the lever 56 from the ratchet teeth 54 and movement of which in the other direction causes a tooth 82 on the lever 80 to engage the ratchet teeth and so lock the bolt against release by the push button. The push button incorporates a self-operated cylinder lock.

Feb. 18, 1964 5, BURNS 3,121,581

DOOR LATCH WITH INTEGRAL BOLT AND RATCHET Filed May 22, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR.

Feb. 18, 1964 s, BURNS 3,121,581

DOOR LATCH WITH INTEGRAL BOLT AND RATCHET Filed May 22. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 K 1 7 INV EN TOR.

A TTORA/E Y United States Patent 3,121,581 DUGR LATCH WITH INTEGRAL BOLT AND RATCHET Syivester F. Burns, Rochester, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Micin, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 22, 1961, Ser. No. 111,577 6 Claims. (Cl. 292F280) This invention relates to a vehicle door latch, and more particularly to a simplified door latch for an automobile.

One feature of the invention is that it provides an improved vehicle door latch. A further feature of the invention is that it provides a vehicle door latch having a rotatable toothed bolt, one portion of the teeth being adapted to engage a striker and another portion of the teeth being engageable by a detent for holding the bolt against rotation in an unlatching or door opening direction. A further feature of the invention is that it provides a simplified automobile door latch with combined holding and release means comprising a single member having a detent portion engaging the bolt to hold the bolt against rotation in one direction and also having a release portion. Yet another feature of the invention is that it provides a simplified door latch with combined locking and release means comprising a single member having a locking portion adapted to engage the bolt to hold the bolt against rotation in an unlatching direction and also having a release portion for engaging the holding and release member to move the detent portion thereof out of engagement with said bolt.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, having reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a vehicle having the improved door latch.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the vehicle door along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and showing the improved door latch with the locking and release means being shown in solid lines in locked position; in broken lines in operative position; and, fragmentarily, in broken lines in release position.

FIGURE 3 is a View similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the locking and release means in release position; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged horizontal section through the door taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1.

Most modern automobiles are equipped with door latches having a movable bolt which is held by a detent against movement in an unlatching or door opening direction in order to hold the door latched. During the unlatching operation, the detent is moved out of engagement with the bolt to permit movement of the bolt in an unlatching direction so that the door can be opened. Both inside and outside latch operating means are provided, and there is also locking means to lock the door against opening from outside the automobile. In conventional automobile door latches each of the functions noted above is achieved through the instrumentality of a plurality of separate parts. That is, in conventional latches, one or more links or levers in the latch are utilized for unlatching from outside of the automobile, one or more additional links or levers in the latch are utilized for unlatching from inside the automobile, there is a detent member which generally is separate from both the inside and outside unlatching means, and one or more separate parts in the latch are utilized for locking.

The present invention provides a simplified latch in which there is combined holding and release means comprising a single member having a detent for holding the bolt against rotation in an unlatching direction and also having a release portion. The latch is further simplified by the provision of combined locking and release means comprising a single member having a locking portion for holding the bolt against rotation in an unlatching direction and a release portion operable upon the holding and release member to move the detent portion thereof out of holding relation with the bolt. In a door lock construction of the present invention there are only three basic parts: first, a bolt which is adapted to engage a conventional striker, second, a combined detent and outside release lever, and third, a combined blocking and inside release lever.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings: the reference character 10 designates a truck having a cab body 12 with a door designated generally as 14. The door is hingedly mounted along its forward edge on the cab body in conventional manner (not shown) and includes an outer panel 16 and an inner panel 18 which are joined along the rear edge of the door by a jamb Wall 2% The improved door latch, which is designated generally by the reference character 22, is mounted on the jamb wall 20 by a plurality of bolts 24 and the latch is associated with outside and inside operator means which generally are conventional.

For outside operation there is a gripping handle 26 which is fixedly mounted on the door outer panel 16 and which mounts a slidable push button assembly including a push button 28 and a push rod 30. A spring 32 biases the push button assembly outwardly to the operating position shown in FIGURE 4. The push button shaft 30 is formed with oppositely disposed wings 34 which, when the push button assembly is in unlocked position, are adapted to pass through an opening 36 in the base wall of a cup-shaped housing member 33 which is carried by the handle 26. Upon operation of a proper key in a conventional key cylinder which is not shown but which is housed within the push button, the push button 28 and shaft 30 may be rotated through an angle of so that the wings 34 may not pass through the opening 36 and the door is locked against outside operation. A similar locking system is shown and described in greater detail in U.S. Patent 2,724,958, which issued on November 29, 1955, in the name of R. T. Psik.

For inside operation there is a conventional remotely located turn handle 46 mounted on the door inner panel and connected to the latch by means of a remote rod 41. As will later appear, the construction and arrangement of the latch is such that when the remote handle 4% is turned in one direction the door may be opened, and if the remote handle 40 is turned in the other direction the door will be locked against outside actuation.

The latch 22, as shown in detail in FIGURES 2, 3,-

portion and a sub-frame mounting portion 4:5 extends partly across this opening. {A bolt housing sub-frame portion 48 is mounted on the outer surface of the latch frame body 42, and a gear type bolt St} is rotatably journaled on a bolt stud 52 which is mounted between the subframe 46 and the bolt housing 48. The bolt d, which is freely rotatable in the housing, has a plurality of teeth 54 adapted to engage complementary teeth on a conventional type of striker which is mounted on the cab body. Since the striker forms no part of the invention it is not illustrated here, and reference may be had to US. Patent 2,871,049, which issued on January 27, 1959, in the name of S. D. Cockburn et al. to show a suitable striker and the manner in which it is engaged by the teeth 5 of the bolt b'tl.

in many rotary bolt vehicle door latches there are separate bolt and ratchet members, the bolt engaging the striker teeth and the ratchet member, which is mounted rigidly with the bolt, being engaged by a detent to hold the bolt and ratchet members against rotation in door opening or unlatching direction. In accordance with the present invention, a separate ratchet member is dispensed with and the bolt itself extends inside the j'anrb wall of the door where it is directly engaged by a detent to hold the door latched.

Combined holding and release means comprise a single lever designated genera ly by the reference character 55 which is pivotally mounted on the frame body 42 by means of a mounting stud 58. The holding and release lever has a downwardly extending release arm all which formed at its lower end with a turned flange 62 located opposite and adjacent the end of the push button rod 39, so that upon depression of the push button 28 the rod 359 will engage the flange 62 and swing the holding and release lever 56 in a clockwise direction as the parts appear in FIGURES 2 and 3. An inwardly extending arm 64 on the holding and release lever 56 terminates in a downwardly extending detent foot 66 which, as shown in FIGURE 2, normally engages the bolt 50 in such manner that it holds the bolt against rotation in a clockwise direction as the parts appear in FIGURES 2 and 3, which is lunlatching di ection. It should be noted that the teeth 54 of the bolt are so shaped that when the bolt is engaged by the detent foot 66 the bolt is held against rotation only in unlatching direction, and upon rotation of the bolt in a counterclockwise or latching direction the bolt teeth cam the detent foot as out of the way. Upon depression of the push button 2% so that the holding and release lever is swung in a clockwise direction from the position of FIGURE 2 to the position of FIGURE 3, the bolt 50 normally is freely rotatable and the door may be opened. A spring 67 is coiled about the stud 58 and has one arm anchored to the frame body 4 2 and the other arm bearing against the flange 62 of the lever 56 so that the detent foot 66 is yieldably urged into engagement with the bolt.

For inside actuation the remote connecting rod 41 is attached at its rear end to an upwardly extending arm of a remote bellcrank lever 63 which is p-ivotally mounted on a rivet 70 on the flange portion 44 of the latch frame. The other arm of the bellcrank lever as is formed with a right angular flange portion which lies along the frame body 42 and which terminates in right angularly extending bifurcated arms 72 and '74. As shown best in FIG- UR-E 4, these arms straddle a pin 76.

Combined locking and release means comprise a second lever designated generally as St? which is pivotally mounted on the stud 58 coaxially with the holding and release lever 56, but which is swingable independently of the lever 56. At its free end the locking and release lever ill mounts the pin 76 which extends between the bifurcated arms 72, 74 of the remote bellcrank 68, and intermediate its ends opposite the location of the detent foot 66 the lever 8?; is formed with a downwardly projecting locking foot d2 which, as indicated in FIGURE 2, is p' t0 @ngage bol in $1, manner similar to the detent foot 66 to hold the bolt against rotation in an unlocking direction. Also, in a manner similar to the detent foot 66, the locking foot 82 will be cammed out of engagement with the bolt teeth upon rotation of the bolt in a door closing or latching direction. A right angular pick up tab 34 projects from the lower side of the lever 3t} and underlies the arm 64 of the holding and release lever 56.

When the locking and. release lever Si is in its normal operative position as designated in FIGURE 2 by the reference character A, the door may be opened from outside the automobile by depressing the push button 28 so that the push rod 3t) swings the detent foot 66 out of engagement with the bolt. If the remote handle 4%) is turned in a counterclockwise direction of FIGURE 1 to push on the connecting rod 41 and swing the lever 89 to its locking position designated by the reference character B in FIG- URE 2, the bolt will be held against rotation in an unlatching direction regardless of the posit-ion of the detent foot 66 so that the door can not be opened from the outside. However, it should be noted that if the door is locked from the inside while it is open and then is slammed shut, the rotation of the bolt in a door closing direction (counterclockwise in FIGURES 2 and 3) will cam the locking foot %2 out of engagement with the bolt and the lever 86 will assume its normal operative position A.

in order to open the door from inside the automobile, whether or not the inside handle is in its normal operative position A or in its locked posit-ion B, the inside resote handle it) is turned in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 1) to pull on the rod 41 which in turn causes the locking and release lever 84 to swing clockwise (PEG- URES 2 and 3) from its operative position to a release position designated as C in FIGURES 2 and 3. During the movement from position A to position C the release tab 84 on the lever 30 picks up the holding and release lever 56 and swings it clockwise so that the detent foot moves to the position shown in FEGU RE 3, where it is out of engagement with the bolt, permitting free rotation of the bolt.

From the above description it will be seen that the improved door latch is greatly simplified in that it provides a single holding and release member for outside operation of the latch and a single locking and release member for inside operation and inside locking of the latch.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a movable bolt; combined holding and release means, comprising a bell crank having only two arms, one arm having a detent portion for engaging said bolt to hold the bolt against movement in one direction, and the other arm having a release portion for engagement by first latch operating means; combined locking and release means, comprising a single member having a locking portion for engaging said bolt to hold the bolt against movement in one direction when the locking and release means is moved from an operative position to a locking position, and a release portion for engaging said one arm of said bell crank to move the detent portion thereof out of engagement with said bolt when the looking and release means is moved from said operative position to a release position; and second latch operator means for moving said locking and release means from its operative position to locking or release position.

2. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a rotatable toothed bolt; combined holding and release means, comprising a bell crank having only two arms, one arm having a detent portion for engaging a tooth of said bolt to hold the bolt against rotation in one direction, and the other arm having a release portion; first latch operator means engageable with the release portion of said bell crank for moving the detent portion thereof out of engagement with said bolt; combined locking and releasing means, comprising a single lever having a locking portion 'for engaging said tooth of said bolt to hold the bolt against rotation in said one direction when the lever is moved from an operative position to a locking position, and a release portion for engaging said one arm of said bell crank to move the detent portion thereof out of engagement with said bolt when the lever is moved from said operative position to a release position; and second latch operator means for moving said lever from its operative position to locking or release position.

3. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a rotatable toothed bolt; combined holding and release means, comprising a bell crank having only two arms, one arm having a detent portion adjacent its free end for engaging a tooth of said bolt to hold the bolt against rotation in one direction, and the other arm having a release portion; first latch operator means engageable with the release portion of said bell crank for moving the detent portion thereof out of engagement with said bolt; combined locking and release means, comprising a lever having a locking projection intermediate its ends for engaging said tooth of said bolt to hold the bolt against rotation in said one direction when the lever is swung from an operative position to a locking position, and a release portion intermediate its ends adjacent said locking projection for engaging said one arm of said bell crank to swing the detent portion thereof out of engagement with said bolt when the lever is swung from said operative position to a release position; and second latch operator means for swinging said lever from its operative position to locking or release positions.

4. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 3, wherein said bell crank and said lever are pivotally mounted for swinging movement about the same axis, said lever generally overlying said one arm of the bell crank.

5. A vehicle door latch of the character described, including: a latch frame; a toothed gear type bolt rotatably mounted on said frame; combined holding and release means, comprising a bell crank pivotally mounted on said frame and having only two arms, one arm having a detent portion adjacent its free end for engaging said bolt to hold the bolt against rotation in an unlatching direction, and the other arm having a release portion;

first latch operator means engageable with the release portion of said bell crank for swinging the detent portion thereof out of engagement with said bolt; combined locking and release means, comprising a lever pivotally mounted adjacent one end on said frame and having a locking projection intermediate its ends for engaging said bolt to hold the bolt against rotation in said unlatching direction when the lever is moved from an operative position to a locking position, and a release portion intermediate its ends for engaging said one arm of each bell crank to move the detent portion thereof out of engagement with said bolt when the lever is moved from said operative position to a release portion; and second latch operator means adapted to engage said lever adjacent its other end for moving said lever from its operative position to looking or release positions.

6. A door latch comprising, a latch frame, a toothed latch bolt mounted on said frame for movement between latched and unlatched positions, a holding and release first lever having only two arms, one arm having a detent portion for engaging a tooth of said bolt to hold said bolt against movement toward unlatched position, the other arm including a release portion, first latch operating means engageable with said release portion for moving said detent portion out of engagement With said bolt, a locking and release second lever including a locking portion for engaging said tooth of said bolt to hold said bolt against movement toward unlatched position when said second lever is in a locking position, said second lever further including a release portion engageable with said one arm of said first lever to move said first lever detent portion out of engagement with said bolt when said second lever is moved from said locking position through an intermediate operative position to a release position, said second lever locking portion being out of engagement with said tooth of said latch bolt in said operative position and said release position and permitting release of said bolt by said first lever detent portion only in these positions, and second latch operating means for moving said second lever to either its operative position, its locking position, or its release position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,791,458 Marple May 7, 1957 2,806,369 Chanaryn Sept. 17, 1957 2,982,576 Bergin May 2, 1961 

1. A VEHICLE DOOR LATCH OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, INCLUDING: A MOVABLE BOLT; COMBINED HOLDING AND RELEASE MEANS, COMPRISING A BELL CRANK HAVING ONLY TWO ARMS, ONE ARM HAVING A DETENT PORTION FOR ENGAGING SAID BOLT TO HOLD THE BOLT AGAINST MOVEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION, AND THE OTHER ARM HAVING A RELEASE PORTION FOR ENGAGEMENT BY FIRST LATCH OPERATING MEANS; COMBINED LOCKING AND RELEASE MEANS, COMPRISING A SINGLE MEMBER HAVING A LOCKING PORTION FOR ENGAGING SAID BOLT TO HOLD THE BOLT AGAINST MOVEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION WHEN THE LOCKING AND RELEASE MEANS IS MOVED FROM AN OPERATIVE POSITION TO A LOCKING POSITION, AND A RELEASE PORTION FOR ENGAGING SAID ONE ARM OF SAID BELL CRANK TO MOVE THE DETENT PORTION THEREOF OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BOLT WHEN THE LOCKING AND RELEASE MEANS IS MOVED FROM SAID OPERATIVE POSITION TO A RELEASE POSITION; AND SECOND LATCH OPERATOR MEANS FOR MOVING SAID LOCKING AND RELEASE MEANS FROM ITS OPERATIVE POSITION TO LOCKING OR RELEASE POSITION. 